Since early summer, community groups in the Kilbarrack area, in co-operation with the local Garda Síochána at Raheny, have been meeting on a regular basis to consider how to address the drugs menace in their area. Paradoxically, the threat to the community from drug trafficking, dealing and abuse began to escalate and focus on the Kilbarrack area at that time. People were not prepared to give information to the Garda Síochána due to fear and intimidation. I am aware of cases where residents requested drug dealers and users to move away from their houses. In response, their windows were broken, they were physically attacked and their property was daubed with offensive slogans. I know of some families who sold their homes and moved out of the area as a result. Tenants of Dublin Corporation in the area have been forced to leave their accommodation due to what can only be described as modern day terrorism.
There have also been a number of shooting incidents in the area in recent months, directly related to the activities of drug dealers. Two months ago, a quantity of firearms and ammunition was discovered beside the railway at Kilbarrack near an open space where drug dealing openly occurs. More recently, shots were fired at the home of a Garda who lives in the area and a rock, with a warning message attached, was hurled through a window. This action was seen by the community as a warning that no one would be immune from intimidation if they took a stand against drug dealing in the area.
The Government must wage an all-out fight against the scourge of drugs which threatens urban society. The community in Kilbarrack, and throughout Dublin, wants effective action to be taken against drug dealing. They want the hand of law enforcement to be strengthened and increased powers for the Garda Síochána to deal with the drugs menace. Extra resources must be provided and overall priority given to law enforcement in the fight against drug abuse. I welcome the new measures announced by the Government in July. I recognise that a multifaceted approach is required to tackle the problem.
I support the provision of treatment facilities in local communities to enable addicts who have been misusing drugs to come off them. I welcome the initiative taken this month by the Minister for Health — through Eastern Health Board Community Care Area 8, which covers the Kilbarrack area — to provide two additional outreach workers and one additional community addiction counsellor to work with drug misusers in the area. In addition, the voluntary agency Crosscare will be developing a peer education programme aimed at preventing drug misuse among young people in the Kilbarrack area this autumn.
It is clear that the drugs problem differs from area to area and that there is a need to provide improved community infrastructure and better education, employment and training facilities in areas of high unemployment which become the focus for exploitation by drug dealers. In recent months, the Government has introduced a number of community initiatives in the Kilbarrack area. A community development programme was put in place in August at St. Benedict's Resource centre. This week the Minister for Social Welfare, Deputy De Rossa, provided further resources to enhance the facilities at that resource centre. I believe that the Kilbarrack area would also benefit from a Department of Justice youth diversion scheme. There is much more to be done to restore the community's confidence in itself to address these issues.
